Life raft



L. w. MYERS.

LIFE RAFT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, I9ZI- 1,4:845102. atented Nov. 7, 1922.

48H TS-SHEEI I.

L. W. MYERS. LIFE RAFT.

non men JULY Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHED 2.

L. W. MYERS.

LIFE RAFT. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8. 1921.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHED 3.

L. W. MYERS.

LIFE RAFT. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,192].

1,434,402. Patented Nov. 7, 1922.,

4 SHEETSSHEET .4.

\Q Q Q Fatented Nov, 3, i922,

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iss

LORING MYERS, F LUBEC, MAINE.

LIFE

Application filed 311131 53,

To all 1 tom it may concern:

Be it known that l, LORING W. MYERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lubec, in the county of Washington and State of Maine, haveinvented a new and useful Life Raft, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to life rafts, or boats, the primary object ofthe invention being to provide a device of this character of novelconstruction wherein means will be provided to float the raft. shouldone side thereof become punctured or wrecked.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for admittingair to the interior of the raft for the convenience of the occupant.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a life raft whichwill provide a complete housing for the occupants, thereby guardingagainst water flowing into the raft,

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within thescope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

Referring to the drawings 2- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of araft constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the raft.

Figure 4- is a sectional. view taken on line 4-4t of Figure 2. a

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the raft hull is indicated by thereference character 5 and is provided with ribs 6 formed intermediatethe upper and lower edges of the raft, which ribs reinforce the hullagainst lateral strains.

Ribs 7 also form a part of the hull and are provided with suitableopenings to accommodate the flexible members 8 which have connectionwith the loop members 9 that extend through suitable openings in RAFT.

1921 Serial No. 483,289

the ribs 0, thereby providing means to be gripped by persons so thatthey may be held above the surface of the water.

The hull also includes an inner wall indicated at 10. which wall. isheld in spaced relation with the outer wall of the hull as by means ofthe partitioning members 11, which partition the space between the outerwall of the hull and the wall 10 into a plurality of compartments 12, tothe end that should one of the compartments become punctured, the waterwould be confined within the punctured compartment, the air in theremaining compartments holding the raft upright.

Compartments 13 and 14: are formed within the raft and having airchambers 15 positioned at the inner ends thereof, to lend buoyancy tothe central portion of the raft. Extending through each compartment is apipe indicated at 16, which pipes have their upper ends open to theatmosphere and are provided with openings providing communication withthe interior of the pipes and the compartments 13 and 14:, suitableclosures 1? being provided to cut off communication with the atmosphereat the will of theoccupants of the raft.

From the foregoing it will be seen that if it is desired to admit freshair to the compartments, the closures 17 would be opened. Suitableopenings are provided in each of the upper and lower surfaces of therafts" which openings are closed by means of the door 18 that swinginwardly and are locked in such position as by means of the securingmembers 19, suitable means being provided between the doors and thewalls of their openings to insure a water-tight connection therebetween.

A rudder indicated at 20 forms a part of the liferaft equipment and isconstructed so that the same will be attached to either end of the raftto guide the same, it being understood that a mast carrying a sail asindicated by the reference character 21, and which also forms a part ofthe raft equipment, may be inserted in one of the pipes 16, whereby theraft may be forced through the water.

In the use of the device, should the ship, carrying a life raft of thisconstruction become wrecked, it is obvious that the persons on the shipcould enter the compartments 13 and 14, the closures or doors 18 beingclosed, and the raft moved into the Water by any suitable means.

What is claimed as new is A life raft comprising a body portionincluding an outer Wall and an inner Wall, partitioning members betweenthe walls and providing a plurality of compartments, centralcompartments formed Within the life raft, said central compartmentsbeing in communication with the upper and lower surfaces of the liferaft and closures for closing, communication between the compartmentsand upper and lower surfaces of the life raft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses. I

LORING W. MYERS" lVitnesses:

LINCOLN H. NEWCOMB MARGARET PQWHALEN.

